In recent years, instructional design has been undergoing significant changes resulting from developments in areas including pedagogy, learning science, and technology. Instructional designers today work with a broad and growing array of tools and a deeper and more complex understanding of learning processes. They fill a wider range of roles, serving as architects, partners, mechanics, translators, and guides. The field of instructional design is helping higher education reap the benefits of new technologies and educational models.
The 7 Things You Should Know About… series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.
In addition to the 7 Things briefs, you may find other ELI resources useful in addressing teaching, learning, and technology issues at your institution. To learn more, please visit the ELI Resources page.
Link to download PDF: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/eli7120.pdf